Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-03-11

sion of the most awful roars- There was no
mistaking what they came from; only
lion could make such noise as that. We
all Jumped and looked toward the water. in
the direction of which we saw confused
mass, yellow and black in color, staggering
and struggling toward US We seized our
rifles, and slipping on our veldtschoonS
(shoes made of untanned hide, ran out OF
the schcrm toward it. BY his time it had
fallen, and was rolling over and over on the
ground, and by the time we reached it it
struggled no longer but was quite still.
And this was what it was. On the grass
there lay a sable antelope bull-the most
beautiful Of all the African antel0peS-
quite dead, and transfxed by its great curved
horns Eas magnificent black-mancd lion,
also dead. What had happened evidently
was this The sable antelope had come
down t. drink at the pool where the lion
no doubt the same we had heard-had been
lying in wait. While the antelope was
drinking the lion had sprung upon him, bat
was received upon the sharp curved horns
and transfiXed. | once saw the same thing
happen before. The lion, unable to free
himself had torn and bitten at the back and
neck of the bull, which, maddcned with fear
and pain had rushed on till it drOpped dead.
As soon rs we had sufficiently examined
the dead beasts we called the KafrS, and be-
tween us managed to drag their carcasses up
to the scherm. Then we went in and laid
down. to wake no more till dawn.
With the first light we Were up and max
ing ready for the fray. We took with us
the three eight-Jore rifles, a good supply OF
ammunition, and our large watcr-5Ottlcs,
filed with weak, cold tea, which | have al
ways found the best stuff to shoot on. After
swallowing a little breakfast we started L M
bOpa, Khiya and Ventyogel accompanying
us The other kairS We're left with the in
structions 10 skin the lion and the sable an
teIope, and cut mp the latter.
We had no difficulty in finding the broad
elephant trail, which NentvogeI, after eX-
animation, pronounced to have been made
by between twenty and thirty elephants,
most Of them fuIl-grown bulls. But the
herd had moved on some way during the
night and it was nine O'Clock, and already
very hot before, from the broken trees,
bruised leaves and bark, and smoking dung,
we knew we could not be far off them.
Presently we caught sight of the herd,
numbering, rs Eentvogcl had said, between
twenty and thirty, standing in a hollow,
having finished their morning meal, and
Tapping their great cars. 1t was splendid
sight.
They were about two hundred yards from
us. Taking 4 handful OF dry grass | threw
IL into the air to see how the wind was; for
il once they winded us | knew they would
be off before we could get shot. Finding
that, il anything, it blew from the elephants
to us, we crcpt Stcaithly on, and, thanks to
the cover, managed to get within forty yards
or so of the great bTutes. Just in front of
us and brOadsde on. stood three splendid
bulls, one of them with enormous tISkS !
whispered to the others that | would take
the middle one; Sir Henry covered the one
TO the loft and Good the bull with the biz
tusks.
Nov" | whispered.
BopmI hoOut boom! went the three
neavy rifles, and down went Sir Henry's
elephant dead as a hammer, shot right
through the heart. Mine fell on to its knees.
and | thought he was going to die, but in an
o,her moment he was up and Off tearing
along straight past me, As he went | gave
him the second barrel in the ribs, and this
brought him down in good earnest. Hastily
slipping in two fresh cartridges | ran close
up to him, and ball through the brain put
an end to the poor brute's struggles. Then
l turned to see how Good hai Jared with the
big bull, which had heard screaming with
rage and pain as | gave mine its quietuS. On
reaching the captain | found him in a great
state of excitement. 1t appeared thai on re-
ceiving the bullet the bull had turned and
come straight tor his assailant, who had
barely time to get out of his way, and then
charged bindly on past him, in the direction
of our encampmcnt. Meanwhile the heard
had crashed off in wild alarm in the other
direction.
For awhile we debated whether to go after
the wounded bull or follow the herd, and
finally decided for the latter alternative, and
departed thinking that we had seen the last
of those big tuSks. | have often wished
since that we had. 1t was easy work to
follow the elephants, for they had left
trail like a carIiageroad behind them, crush.
ing down the thick bush IN their furious
flight as thought 1t were tambouki grass.
But to come up with them was another
matter, and we had struggled on under
brollmg sun for over two hours before we
found them. They were, with the exception
of one bull. standing together, and | could
see, from their unquict way, and the man
ncr in which they kept lifting their trunks
to test the air, that they were ON the lookout
for mischief. The solitary bull stood fifty
yards or SO this side of the herd, over which
he was evidently keeping sentry, and about
sixty yards from us. Thinking that he
would see or wind MS. and that it would pro-
badly st.l' them all of again if we tried to
get nearer especially as the ground was
rRtheT open. "" all aimed mt this bull, and at
my whispered word fired.
All three shots took effect, and down he
went dead. Again the herd started on. but
unfortunately tor them about hundred
Yas1IS furthc; on was a nuIah, or dried wa
ter track, with steep banks, place very
much resembling the ono the prince imperial
was killed in Zuuland. Into this the ele-
plants plunged aud when we reached the
edge we found them struggling in wild con
fusion tn get up the other bank, and filling
the air with their screams and trumpoting
as they pushed one another aside in their
selfish panic, Just like SO many human be-
inSs. Now was our opportunity. and firing
away rs quick rs we could load we killed
tive of the poor beasts, and no doubt should
have bagged the whole herd had they not
suddenly given up their attempts to climb
the bank and rushed headlong down the
nullah, We were too tired to follow them,
and perhaps also little sick of slaughter,
eight elephants being pretty good bag foI
one day.
So after We had rested little, and the
katirS had cut out the hearts of two of the
dead elephants for supper, we started home,
ward, very well pleased with ourselves, hav-
ing made up our minds to send the bearers
on the morrow to chop out the tuSkS
Shortly after we had passed the spot
where Good had wounded the patriarcnaI
bull we came across herd OF Gland. but did
not shoot Mt them, as we had already plenty
OF meat They trotted past us. As Good
was anxious to get near view of them,
never having seen an Gland close, he handed
his rifle to umbopd, and, followed by Khiva.
Strolled up to the patch of bush. We sat
down and waited for him, not sorry of tn,
excuse for little rest
The sun was just going down in its red
dest glory, and Sir Henry and were ad.
miring the lovely scene, when suddenly we
heard an elephant scream, and saw its huge
and charging form with uplitted trunk and
tail silhouetted against the great red globe
of tho sun. Next second we saw something
else, and that was Good and Khiva tearing
back toward US with the wounded bull (ror
IL was he) charging after them. For a mo-
ment we did not dare to hre-tar fear of
hitting one of them, and the next dreadful
thing happened-Good fell victim to his
passion for civilized dress. Had he consent
ed to discard his trousers and CATERS as we
had, and hunt in flannel shirt and pair OF
veldtschoons, it would have been all right
but ms II was his trousers numbered him in
that desperate race, and presently, when he
was about sixty yards from us, his boot,
.N.Nf krFt Il H.. - ii